Consciousness

What do you believe to be the single most powerful indicator of consciousness? Do you think that we can replicate consciousness to the extent that machines will be conscious?

Ooo, I like this Grey matter area.


The single most powerful indicator of consciousness. Well, we know humans and animals are alive because they move around, eat, breathe, poop, etc. Plants are alive too because of growth, etc. But how do we know that anything has awareness? And is having awareness the same as being aware that you have awareness? How do we know that plants aren't conscious or that rocks aren't? Plants can communicate, does that require consciousness? I generally think that a brain produces consciousness or the ability to stream it, but I don't know.

What would it mean for a machine to be conscious? That it could be aware of its existence? That it could produce its own thoughts? Personally, I wouldn't want a machine to have consciousness. People supposedly do, and look at the damage they're capable of. I think it's creepy to have a super industrial society, everything running on mechanics. But I'm kind of a hippie, so.

The most powerful indicator of consciousness? I think it's hard to say. Probably the existence of the manipulation of the world around a given creature. The more a thing uses the world to attain a goal, rather than go at it directly.

Although, I don't think that consciousness is an all-or-nothing state. It definitely manifests in degrees or on a spectrum. I also think it's comes out differently depending on the species.

As for consciousness in computers? I don't think people will ever make a machine as intricate as a living brain. So I think the chance is low that it'll legitimately happen.